2006年VOA标准英语-Report on Global Population Growth Released

By Ernest Leong
Washington, D.C.
21 August 2006
 
watch Population report

The Population Reference Bureau (P.R.B.) released its annual data sheet on global population growth.  The report had some interesting findings. 

Experts in world population growth spoke¹ at the National Press Club in Washington, DC recently about the Population Reference Bureau's, or P.R.B.'s annual data sheet. 

Carl Haub   
  
Carl Haub is a demographer² with the P.R.B. "The population data sheet is an annual demographic survey, in which we gather demographic population statistics from all countries in the world."

This year, the data covered a variety of issues affecting population growth, such as AIDS and clean water and sanitation³.  But the report's main emphasis was on the effects of migration⁴ on the world population.

While it is common for people from poorer countries to migrate to developed, wealthier nations, experts found there was also migration between developing countries -- for example, from Guatemala to Mexico.

 
Rachel Nugent 
  
There are any number of reasons for this trend, says Rachel Nugent of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). "People from very poor countries going to less poor countries.  People fleeing wars and conflict.  People responding to population pressures."

The economy was an important reason people chose to migrate.  In China, for example, millions of people from the countryside moved to the city to find better-paying jobs.

A poor economy may discourage people from moving.  In Italy, where the unemployment rate is high, many men in their 20s and 30s continue to live with their parents.

  
  
Nugent says statistics on the fertility rate were also revealing. "Most developing countries have what we call a youth bulge⁵, which means they have a very large number of young people.  That means they're going to continue to have large population growth as those young people have children."

By comparison, the fertility rate in developed countries has been stable, or falling.  In Germany, the drop has been alarming.  Experts predict by the year 2050, approximately 35 percent of Germany's population will be over 60. Part of the reason is high unemployment, which discourages couples from having families.

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 demographer   

n.人口统计学家

参考例句：

• Professor Antonio Golini is a demographer at the University of Rome. 罗马大学安东尼奥教授是位人口统计学家。 来自互联网
• Demographer William Frey says immigrants with young families will help keep the United States competitive. 人口统计学家佛瑞表示这些年轻的家庭会帮助美国保持竞争力。 来自互联网

3 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

4 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

5 bulge   

n.突出，膨胀，激增；vt.突出，膨胀

参考例句：

• The apple made a bulge in his pocket.苹果把他口袋塞得鼓了起来。
• What's that awkward bulge in your pocket?你口袋里那块鼓鼓囊囊的东西是什么？